


Heartbreaker

by pickleplum



Series: Owl and Dragon [13]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe, Angst, Athene Noctua Verse, Bad Parenting, First Love, Gen, Young Love, companion to Athene Noctua, winged!Hermann
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-03
Updated: 2014-03-03
Packaged: 2018-01-14 11:48:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1265383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickleplum/pseuds/pickleplum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It falls to Dietrich to shatter two boys' hearts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbreaker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emmalyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmalyn/gifts), [puff22_2001](https://archiveofourown.org/users/puff22_2001/gifts).



> Set immediately after Chapter 2 of "[My Brother](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1229275/chapters/2519803)".

Dietrich sits at the kitchen table staring vacantly at the damaged phone he took from Hermann’s room earlier that day. If Edan holds to his pattern, Dietrich shouldn’t have much longer to wait.

The phone chimes. A foreign number. Dietrich answers.

“Oh, thank _god_ , Hermann! It’s been _four days_ , mate! Is everything alright?” Dietrich tastes the boy’s relief over the connection.

“Edan? This is Hermann’s brother, Dietrich,” he says carefully, mindful that his thickly accented English sometimes makes him difficult for native speakers to understand.

“Diet … what? Where’s Hermann? Did something happen to him?” Edan sounds panicky and Dietrich must take a deep breath through his nose to maintain his own calm.

“Yes, something did. He was badly hurt the day he returned,” he says and hears the boy’s sharp intake of breath. “The injury was serious, but we got him treatment very quickly. He’ll be alright eventually, but … he won’t be returning to Manchester after the holiday.”

“ _What_?! Why not?!”

“Our father has withdrawn Hermann from your university and enrolled him in a college in Berlin.” He gathers himself and says, “He feels it is in Hermann’s best interest to do so.”

“Of all the _stupid_ … !” Edan mumbles something unintelligible Dietrich interprets as traditional Scottish insults to his father’s intelligence and smiles weakly. “You don’t agree, do you?” the boy continues with a note of hope.

“No, I don’t. Hermann doesn’t either. They had quite a fight about it. My sister and I tried to convince our father elsewise, as well, but he won’t be persuaded.” Dietrich can’t keep the resignation out of his voice.

“Is this because he and I … umm … . Did he tell you about me?”

“Yes, he did.” Dietrich expects this question and has his response ready. “Our father is very old-fashioned with regards to relationships, but that is not why he withdrew Hermann from Manchester. He wants to keep Hermann close to home. He is … ,” Dietrich must force himself to finish, “ … very protective of Hermann.” If the boy thinks his father cares more about his son than the family secret, it will be a greater comfort to him than the truth.

“But-but Hermann didn’t get hurt until he went _back_ to Berlin! He was fine when he was in England! Our friends and I helped protect him! Not that he needed much help … .”

“Edan, I know. My father, though, is not a reasonable man where Hermann is concerned. He gave Hermann two choices: Agree to transfer to the Berlin school and break off all contact with you or, essentially, live under house arrest with no further access to education or non-family members. Hermann has not yet declared his decision, but I’ve had to recommend he continue his schooling. It’s the only way he can escape this house.”

“ _That’s mad_! How can your father force a choice like that? Is that even _legal_?”

“Hermann’s a minor, Edan. Our father controls his life. There’s nothing he or I or you can do to fight the man we’re not already doing. Hermann won’t be able to contact you again. Father is monitoring his phone and computer. He desperately wants to, but he can’t. Not until he turns eighteen, at least. I’m sorry.”

“I-I don’t understand. I don’t understand _at all_. _How_ can a _father_ … ?” Edan’s voice breaks and trails off. “But thanks, I guess, for telling me. I’ll leave you and-and … him alone now.”

“I’m truly sorry, Edan. Hermann really does love you. I don’t think he’s ever been happier than he was the last few weeks. This isn’t what he wants to do. Not for himself and not for you.”

“I hadn’t been that happy before, either. Tell Hermann I’m sorry I didn’t talk to him sooner.” With a choking sound, the connection breaks. Dietrich carefully sets down the phone and rests his forehead on the tabletop.

 _I just heard a heart break_. _I broke that boy's heart_. _The first heart outside of the family my brother's opened himself to_.

 _They both deserve so much better_.

_Damn Father_.

He sits up, retrieves his own phone from a pocket, and, looking for comfort, starts to enter his girlfriend’s number. He pauses as an idea strikes him. His somber expression gives way to a wicked one. Father won’t return until evening and he’s watching only _Hermann’s_ phone.

_Maybe I can’t reunite them_ , _but I can at least let them say goodbye to each other_.

He sends Edan a short text message asking him to answer any calls from this number and returns to Hermann’s room to wait for his brother to wake.

**Author's Note:**

> For Emmalyn and puff22_2001, who pleaded with me to give Edan some kind of explanation of Hermann's sudden disappearance from his life.
> 
> Music to set the Mood: [764-HERO, _Get Here and Stay_ , "History Lessons"](http://youtu.be/EN6dg4GuqQo)


End file.
